


Reluctance

by AislingKaye



Series: Light Of My Soul [3]
Category: The Hobbit (2012), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bifur is a good cousin, Bofur gets some sense knocked into him, Implied Bagginshield, M/M, Soulmates, implied Balin/Dori
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-30
Updated: 2013-01-30
Packaged: 2017-11-27 13:04:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/662307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AislingKaye/pseuds/AislingKaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bofur didn't want to meet his soulmate. He didn't want to bond and then watch his soul light go dark.<br/>Unfortunately, he doesn't get a choice whether he meets his other half or not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reluctance

**Reluctance**

 

Bofur had mixed feelings about the white soul light in his palm.

Ever since he had seen the joy his brother found in his soulmate, he had wished to meet the one who would be his perfect match in every way. But when he saw Bifur’s broken spirit at the white-edged black light marking his palm, he wasn’t sure he wanted to find his soulmate. It would be better to lose them before meeting them, surely, than to meet them and then lose them?

Still, Bofur dreaded his light turning black. He just didn’t want it to change to green.

 

Meeting so many new dwarves had Bofur a little on edge, although he hid it well behind his usual cheerful smiles and comments. He kept from touching skin with any of those he had not already met and contacted previously, grasping cloth-covered forearms in greeting instead of shaking hands as many dwarves now did. He was extra cautious about skin contact when he witnessed Thorin and the hobbit literally bump into each other and their soul lights changed green.

He didn’t want to meet his soulmate on this quest, especially since there was no guarantee of survival.

 

After nearly being cooked and eaten by a trio of trolls, Bofur felt like he was about to either cry, rage, or just go into shock. Whilst on the spit with half his comrades, he had felt a small tingle run up his arm from his soul light. The problem was, he wasn’t sure who he had been in contact with when his soul light changed to green. He wasn’t even sure if he _wanted_ to know.

So, he kept his soul light covered by his fingerless gloves, and kept a subtle eye out for a green soul light on the palms of his comrades.

 

Two days later he knew. Dori and Balin were soulmates but had chosen to keep their bond platonic, as was evident through the green of their soul lights and the way they kept close to each other. Ori and Dwalin’s lights were still white (not that he'd been in contact with them when his changed), as were Fíli and Kíli’s. So was Óin’s, thankfully. As much as Bofur respected the old dwarf, he didn’t particularly want to be his soulmate.

That left Nori. Nori, who was about Bofur’s age and a pleasant enough fellow. Nori, who kept tugging his sleeve down over his hand and glancing about with an almost desperate expression on his face.

Bofur’s mixed feelings were stronger and fighting more than ever. He desperately wanted to go to the other dwarf and reveal his soul light, but at the same time he truly didn’t want to fully bond in case one of them died.

Then Bifur got involved.

 

**_“You are being foolish, cousin,”_** the older dwarf grunted in Khuzdul. Bofur glanced sideways at his cousin as they walked.

“How so?” he asked quietly. Bifur gave him a flat look.

**_“You have found your soulmate yet you do not go to him.”_** Bofur didn’t respond. **_“What reason have you for leaving him unaware?”_**

“I cannot stand to get close and have my light darken,” Bofur admitted softly, so softly that Bifur would be the only one to hear him. He received a cuff over the back of the head for his remark. “Hey!” The rest of the company turned to look at them, but turned back around when they saw Bofur rubbing his head and glaring at his cousin.

**_“You are a fool,”_** Bifur repeated. **_“You are thinking only of yourself. Your mate is frantic. He believes you do not want him.”_**

“I don’t,” Bofur muttered. He received another slap to the head for his comment.

**_“Do not lie to me. If you do not tell him, I will find a way to do so.”_ **

With his threat delivered, Bifur quickened his pace to walk alongside his other cousin, Bombur, leaving Bofur staring at him in shock.

 

It took until the company reached Rivendell that evening for Bofur to gather his courage. After running from orcs and seeing Nori threatened by elves (ignoring the fact that he was also threatened), he finally understood why Bifur called him an idiot.

He could have lost Nori today without the other dwarf knowing of their match. Or he could have left Nori wondering why Bofur had not gone to him. He didn’t want to do that to anyone, let alone someone he had come to respect and feel fondly for over their brief acquaintanceship. So, when the company gathered to eat, Bofur approached Nori subtly and lightly touched his shoulder.

“Bofur?” the dwarf with the tri-peaked hair asked in surprise. Bofur held a finger to his lips and gave a small smile.

“May I speak with you, Nori?”

“Of course.”

Bofur led Nori from the group, with only Bifur noticing them leave.

 

In one of the many gardens scattered through Imladris, Bofur fiddled nervously with his gloves and left sleeve as he led Nori to one of the secluded groves.

“Bofur, is there something wrong?” Nori asked after a moment of utter silence. Bofur glanced at him and then back to his gloves.

“I suppose that depends on your opinion,” he muttered. Nori frowned, and Bofur decided to get it over with. If Nori rejected him, well, he deserved it for his reluctance to come forward immediately. He tugged off his left glove and held out his upturned palm to the other male.

Nori’s eyes widened, and his gaze shot up to meet Bofur’s hesitant, slightly worried eyes.

“Do you mean…?” Nori trailed off, as if unable to voice the question. Bofur swallowed and nodded. “Why didn’t you say?”

“I saw what happened to my cousin upon the death of his soulmate,” Bofur murmured, eyes downcast. “I did not wish to suffer the same. Today my cousin pointed out that it was unfair to keep this information from you, and then with the wargs and orcs, well…”

“Were you ever going to tell me?”

“…I do not know. Perhaps not so soon, but I would not have kept it secret much longer.” Nori nodded, and then his left hand reached out to grasp Bofur’s. That same tingle ran up Bofur’s arm and he shivered, noticing absently that Nori did the same.

“Do not keep secrets from me any longer,” Nori half-demanded, and Bofur’s ready smile – a true one this time – returned to his features. He was forgiven, at least partially.

“I swear it,” he replied, and tugged Nori forward to hug him tightly.

 

They didn’t return to the Company until after moonset, and did so with blue soul lights shining from the centre of their left palms.

Bifur smiled at the sight.

**Author's Note:**

> I quite liked Bifur in this. He just came out of nowhere!
> 
> Gandalf's story is next.


End file.
